Gas producer



Aug. 29, 1933- J. VAN ACKEREN GAS PRODUCER Filed July 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR Jowqo #00146/8 20 B Y 61) I A TTgRN? Aug. 29, 1933. J. VAN ACKEREN GAS PRODUCER Filed July 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE 1,924,820 GAS PRODUCER ware Application July 9, 1931. Serial No. 549,604

5 Claims.

My invention relates to gas producers and particularly to charging apparatus therefor.

In the operation of gas producers, it is necessary to charge the generator by introducing coke or other suitable fuel at the top of the producer. It is highly essential that any escape of gas through the charging apparatus be avoided both because of the losses of the gas and because of the danger of asphyxiation of the operators.

In order to prevent the escape of gases, it has been necessary to provide two valves between the charging hopper and the distributing apparatus in order that one might be closed while the other was opened to permit the fuel to be discharged into the distributing apparatus. These two valves have been in addition to the cover or other top closure for the-hopper.

These valves have usually been of the reciprocable type of conical shape which were moved downwardly to permit the coke to slide over them. The result has been that abrasion of the valves soon causes them to leak and they must be replaced at fairly frequent intervals. Also, the use of two valves with a compartment between them has caused the charging apparatus to occupy an undue amount of head room.

In accordance with the present invention, I

provide an arrangement wherein a single valve may control the flow of coke or other fuel from the hopper into the distributing apparatus and which will maintain a gas-tight connection with the hopper while the latter is being charged with fuel.

The valve is arranged. to be moved outof the path of the coke being charged from the hopper into the distributing chamber and abrasion of the valve is thus avoided. Furthermore, the employment of a single valve reduces the height of the head room that is required.

The details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in vertical section, of a gas producer employing charging apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line II1I of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a gas producer 1 comprises a stationary shell 2 having a fuel bed, indicated at 3, and provided with the usual rotatable ash pan 4. Air and steam are supplied through a pipe 5 in the base of the producer and gas is withdrawn from an ofitake pipe 6.

In the top of the producer there is mounted a combined charging and distributing mechanism which comprises a hopper 7 and a distributing chamber 8, to which is connected distributing apparatus 9 of the so-called pants-leg type. The entire charging and distributing apparatus is mounted for rotation upon bearings 10 and is actuated by means of a pinion 11 that is connected to a ring gear 12.

A water seal 14 is located between the top of the stationary shell and the rotatablev charging mechanism. This seal is supplied with water by means of a pipe 15, which flows into an annular recess 16 which surrounds the distributing chamber 8 and which overflows into the seal 14.

The hopper '7 is provided with a cover or top 17 that is pivotally mounted on an upright post 18. The bottom of the hopper '7 is provided with a flaring portion 19, which extends into the distributing chamber 8 and has a bottom opening 20 therein that is adjacent to one side wall of the chamber 8.

The bottom opening 20 is adapted to be closed by a valve 21 having an inner portion 22 of inverted cup shape for extending into the opening and a ring 23 surrounding the bottom of the hopper for providing a liquid seal between the hopper and the valve.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the valve 20 is pivotally mounted on a pipe 24 that extends substantially diametrally across the distributing chamber 8 and has bearings 25 and 26 on the side walls of the latter. The pipe 24 communicates at its central portion with the annular space Within the ring 23 constituting the water seal for the valve 21. Adjacent to its outer end the pipe 24 has a port 27 which communicates with the cup-shaped recess 16 through an opening 28 when the valve 20 is in its closed position.

The position of the valve 21 is adapted to be controlled by a counterweighted lever 29 which holds the valve in either its open or its closed position. A manually operable lever 30 controls the position of the cover 17 for the hopper '7.

It may be assumed that the producer 1 is in I operation and that the charging and distributing L mechanism are rotating to keep the fuel bed charged to the height shown in Fig. 1. It may be assumed, also, that the hopper 7 has been fully discharged into the distributing chamber 8 and that it is desired to refill the hopper 7.

The valve 21 will be actuated to its closed position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 1. The liquid seal in the valve 21 will be filled'automatically from the annular recess 16 through the pipe 24 in order to insure a gas-tight connection between the distributing chamber 8 and the hopper 7. The cover 17 is swung to its open position.

The hopper is filled with coke by any usual mechanism and the cover 17 is again closed to make a gas-tight connection with the hopper. To discharge the coke into the distributing chamber 8, the valve 21 is opened by means of the lever 29 and it swings about the pipe 24 through an angle of substantially 180 to the position indicated by dotted lines (Fig. 1).

The relatively small amount of water in the seal is emptied on the coke ben ath it but the amount is so small as to be relatively immaterial. The opening of the valve automatically cuts off the supply of water to the liquid seal for the valve. The latter remains open until the hopper '7 is again empty, whereupon the procedure just described is repeated for the next charging cycle.

Inasmuch as there is always a completely gastight closure between the interior of the producer and the atmosphere through the hopper '7, it is substantially impossible for any leakage of gas to occur other than the small amount that may be received by the hopper while the valve 21 is open. If desired, a suitable vent which is opened only when the valve 21 is closed may be provided for the escape of this gas.

The employment of the apparatus constructed in accordance with myinvention provides an eilicient arrangement for preventing the escape of gas through the charging mechanism and, in addition, reduces the space that is required by apparatus previously employed. The provislon of the valve for the bottom of the hopper that is mounted in such manner as to swing entirely out of the path of movement of the coke very materially reduces the wear which would otherwise be caused by abrasion from the moving fuel.

There is, accordingly, economy both in the construction and the operation of the producer, since the height of the charging mechanism and the number of its parts are reduced and their replacement is necessary only at long intervals because of the substantial elimination of wear.

I claim as my invention:

1. Gas-manufacturing apparatus comprising a charging hopper, a top closure therefor, a bottom closure for said hopper having a hinged connection thereto, and means for providing a liquid seal between said hopper and said bottom closure when the latter is in its closed position, said means comprising a pipe constituting a portion of said hinged connection.

2. Gas-manufacturing apparatus comprising a I charging hopper, a top closure therefor, a bottom closure for said hopper having a hinged connection thereto, and means for providing a liquid seal between said hopper and said bottom closure when the latter is in its closed position, said means comprising a pipe constituting a portion of said hinged connection and having a port that is open only when said bottom closure is in its closed position. i

3. Gas-manufacturing apparatus comprising a fuel charging hopper having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a closure for said opening that is movable into and out of closed position, a liquid seal for said closure member, and means automatically operable to supply liquid to said seal only when said closure is in its closed po-- sition.

4. Gas-manufacturing apparatus comprising a stationary shell, a rotatable charging mechanism, a liquid seal between said shell and said mechanism, a valve for said charging mechanism having a liquid seal, and means for supplying liquid to the first-named seal continuously and to the seal for said valve only when the latter is in its closed position.

5. Gas-manufacturing apparatus comprising a producer having a shell adapted to contain a fuel bed, a charging mechanism for said producer having a top closure for the introduction of fuel and means for maintaining a gas-tight closure I between said mechanism and said shell while said top closure is open, said means comprising a 

